[History of psychiatry in Venezuela: milestones in social work education].

A historical compilation, initiated with Dr. Lorenzo Campins y Ballester in 1773, covering the teaching aspect, and culminated with the creation of the first postgraduate in psychiatry at the Central University of Venezuela in 1939, is made. On the assistential side, the way in which patients were treated during colonial times is mentioned, introducing the attempts which were carried out up to 1892, when Dr. G.T. Villegas Pulido ordered the moving of 30 patients to the remodeled military hospital, becoming this latter institution the Psychiatric Hospital of Caracas. The influence of private institutions on both teaching formation and assistential level is also mentioned.